Music and signs were among the crowd which came to Reagan National Airport to welcome the verterans

By JEFF MEEK

Senior reporter

Seven Hot Springs Village World War II veterans were among a total of 78 of their comrades (the oldest of which was a spry 99 years old) for another Honor Flight Network trip to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorial completed in their honor in 2004.

Those on the trip from the Village were Claude Griffin, Howard Baldwin, Bill Johnson, Bill Sullivan, Wes Soerens, Jim Finn and Leland Lochhaus. With them in their group was Hot Springs veteran Earl Adams.

After getting checked in the airport at Little Rock at 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 5, the veterans, guardians and network personnel took off for Washington, D.C.

Arrival at the memorial found a big crowd of supporters and a few National Park Service officers there to let them in during the shutdown of many Washington, D.C,. sites due to the government shutdown.

During the 70-minute visit veterans viewed the many aspects and features of the memorial, gathered for a group photo, then made their way back to three buses which then took them on a city tour and travel to the Korean War and Vietnam War memorials.

The government shutdown did not allow the trip to view the Iwo Jima – Marine Corps Memorial, but the buses did stop at the Air Force Memorial before making its way back to the D.C. airport.

There, several 1940s-dressed dancers entertained everyone as they waited for the return flight to Arkansas.

Upon the veterans’ arrival, another huge crowd of well-wishers and family members enthusiastically welcomed home the WW II vets as they made their way through a gauntlet of cheering, flag-waving people of all ages as cameras rolled from several Little Rock television stations.

Tears flowed from veterans and well-wishers alike at the sights and sounds of the tumultuous welcome which packed the baggage claim area of the airport.

Honor Flight Arkansas plans one more flight of World War II veterans, which is scheduled to take place in May 2014 from the northwest Arkansas area.